How to Play Amoeba Tag

You can also use this game as an introduction to amoeboid organisms.

Amoeba tag is a fun variation on the classic version of chase that we all grow up playing in some form or fashion. This game encourages team work and clearly illustrates how important it is for people to work together in order to accomplish common goals. Children will love playing this game over and over and learning about becoming part of a team.

Things You'll Need

• At least three children
• Large, open outdoor space

Instructions

1. Start out with a discussion of teamwork. You might want to have two children join hands and then pull each other in opposite directions to illustrate that when you do not work together you often do not get anywhere.

2. Select one person to be it. This person will be in charge of chasing the other players, and as they accumulate tagged players they will also be the leader and organizer of group movements.

3. Explain to the group that every time a person gets tagged, they must join hands with with person who tags them. This will create an "amoeba" as the group of tagged players grows. Only someone with a free hand can tag another player, so only the front person and the back person can tag at any given time. However, the group must move as a unit in order to accomplish their goal of tagging every person and resetting the game with a new "it."

4. Start the game. You can either shout "Go!" or tell the person who is "it" to count to ten to give players a chance to scatter. If you are playing in an extremely large area you may wish to set boundaries if the children are relatively young.

5. End when everyone has been tagged. The amoeba will be a long chain of players who are all "it." If the children wish to play another round, then the first person tagged becomes the new "it."

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that you play this game in a clear area as the amoeba becomes increasingly unwieldy as it grows.